Incubator.



F. BALL.

INCUBATOR.

` APPLICATION FILED nec. 1a. |916.

1,@75,829 Patented Aug. 13,1918.

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4INCUATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEc. 13.1916.

' 1,275,829. L l Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

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INCUBATGR.

APPLICATION FILED DECJS. |916.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

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y UNITED .STATES PATENT-OFFICE To allwwmz'tlmay concerne." a. w

Beit `known that I, FRANCIS BAtL,acitizen of theUnited States,residingatrGlenside, in the countyof Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Incubatore,of which the following is a ispeciiicatiton, This invention relates i toincubatore, r and has lfor" an object: to" produce an incubator `whereinis provided *improved means` for transmitting heat to eggs positionedtherein. Another` object ofthe invention resides in an incubator havingaplurality of` iiexible heating elements arranged indirect contact withthe eggs carriedcbythe incubator, in order that will be expedited andaccomplished fin a more eilicentxand thorough manner.

\ further object resides in arr incubator having a vertically movabletray for the reception of eggs, said tray beingicaplableof being movedinto `or out of engagement with e the flexible contactheatingelementsofthe CipleS 0f the inventiona` incubator.` i. e e,

. A still `:further object: resides lin an incuba# tor` embodying` animproved water-heating `and circulating system, and in an; improvedmethod of transmitting` the heat fof the water-circulating system jtothe incubating egsw*` gOther objects will bein `partobvious and in partpointed outhereinafter. Y With these and? other "objects 1in` viewftheinvention consists in theconstruction, com` bination and arrangement ofparts, set forth in and falling within fthe scopeof the ap``pendedclaims. 'e f In the drawings wherein is illustratedone of thepreferredlformsof the present"invenf` ".Figurel is a perspective view ofan in'cuf` bator constructed inV accordance lprin# Fig, 2 is a* verticallongitudinal sectional viewjthereof. i Fig; 3 isa transversel sectionalview.

Fig. 4 is a vertical secti nal vie'w disclo`s`` ing theiheatelements""constructiony Fig. V

f Fig. l6 is asimilarvieviflnalsmallerscale of "the incuBatorvcontaining tankin" full." *"1 Fig. 7

te the ilcxible egg heating elements, `and i the` process of eggincubation 25 which extend upwardly,

e is a,yfragmaiaiayjlmrizpritaifeeeV tional view through alportionjofthewater-f is a detailed perspective view of` e e e y e e e e connection,positions of the lever `17 may be of the frame l" tional area of thechamber 13, and eggs 15 are `adapted to be positioned upon thetray forpurpose `of i incubation. u Normally the` tray 14 rests` upon aplurality of stationary cross bars 16 securedto the lower pontionsof theframe 11, and when in this position the eggs 15l can be readily placed upor the trayor` removed therefrom asfdes1re..` w

As stated before, the tray is movable withf in the chamber 13, and* to`accomplish this function use iis made of the plurality of arl ticulatedlevers r which "embody a manually operated leverli, pivoted as at `18upon one vof the cross bars 16, through the medium of asuitable `bearing19. `Pivotally mounted upon the central portions oftheilever 17 aremovable arms 20, `which are pivotally lconnected as e at `21 todiverging cranl 1 arms 22 xed `upon rock shafts 23, the latter beingjournalediu suitable bearings `24; carried by the cross bars 16. `Thusthe oscillationol` the lever `lfvvill result in revolvingthe rock shafts23` in their bearings, understood.` fThe `outer `extremitiesyof` therock shafts are provided with and frictionally engagefwith the metallicwear platesl 26,

as will beclearly crank portions iixedruponthelower surfaces of thetiay14: 7.o i

hus itlwilli be seen thatflthe",rotationlof the mehr shafts throughtlief thelevef y f 17 ",will result ineitherf raising or?lowerng` "the`tray"-`14` for purposes to be` hereinafter set forth'. ITI loCleI toretain the `tray M14 11i itsraisedjol' lowered positions, the leverjl;is

adapted" to"foscillatefwithin a, "Ll-shaped ice i aeapteagtdlfeeivea pareefcarfiedty eeen-1 f readily: retained so as vto prevent unduemovement/bn the part of the tray14.

The try 14 is generally provided with a removable egg-receiving` plate.y31, which .is

vcovered with a suitablfefabricBQ, which is" adapted to have acushioning efectfaupion.-c the eggs carried by the tray. The plate`31Vis .removable order, jto .facilitate :the inserf `tiorren`ioval of yeggsfrom the incubator, and also to retain thetraysin'a sanitary con!dition. .Springs 33-are secured to the sides ofA thejtrayv 114 and" vtostationary clcatsi 34` se- ,cured to the frame 11, said springs beingadapted tofy govern and 'to' insure an f leven movement of the"trayf14-,fwhilel the flatter 'is being raised o i'frloweredf.l f \-l.tial features `of the .present invention, the

same 'consistsof aplurality ofparallel eX- tending,` flexible,`fluidecontaining eggeheat-V ing'.elements 35, the latter 'being'preferably form'edof rubber or V other waterproof'mate- .1"ial,v and gare Ladaptedi lto be ylapproxnnately inents-35, have 'their Vextremitiessuitably. 'securedr'to brackets 36 rigidly fastened;k to the frame.` 11,softhat'the bagswilly be disposed within the heating chamber '13, in" apositionjustV above; the :eggs-15 when the tray 14. is.elevated.-Itwillbenoted that when in tliis .position, 'the' heating elements or bags35.3Will; surround and engage with the upper surfaces of the eggscarried by the tray y14, sothat :thefheat -of thegelements 35 will bedirectly,transmittedto the eggs in a' manner v closely similar tof .thataccomplished byunaturey: By reason Vof fthe' flexible natur'eof theelements 35,1it ,willfbe noted, as' shown in breakflfee` bfthe'eggs,their movement will not' be restrictedin.y any manner-by the heat- Ychambe11g13,and` issupported by' ther cleats v 'i i ttf-heiem 1:1 Y s jadapted .to extendv within a, water-heating .34; Allan-1p ich' Other-1Suitablesheating ele# .edefo berestieued .upon ck'et:l 5 40 vlocated iexteriorly hechimney of vthe lamp'is aia-adjustabl j A outsdeoftheframe11. .gz f preferably@ .Censtsof Wylie* Vdrie algplortion42.@whfich v,is adaptedL to receive @suitable quantita-Qt wat@ for.other. -uidi endft-.wllpbanoted thatthelleat @mitteln-.v thelampl'willbe .concentrated v,upon this fr bod Water Sw,eeulafetheteirerf ture, of vthe latter. The casing 41 is provided withacentral 'opening 43 into which the chimney 44 of the lamp 39 extends,and

-the ,central opening 43 terminates in horii45, which have their outerends open to the atmosphere. The upper end of the opening 431s usuallyclosed by means of a. damper 46', so that the heat arising from thechunn'ey- 44iwi'll'beconfined within the casing 41, so that its entireeffect may be concentrated upon the water*Contained'within the latter...rThe openings 46`formed in theouter extremities of^the"branch' openingsare so situated that*atmospheric drafts cannot reach the lalmp'39'soasfto. affectcomb'u'stion taking place '.within the latter. Y Theportions42 ofthecasing 41 areadapted to surround the' fopenin'gsf'43"and 45 so' 'as to provide'watereccntaining j ackets' 48, which form'part --ofrthe Vwater-circulating systen'i' '37. When water is'heatedevithin the jackets 48 tlief-samewill pass' ot'of thelatte'r byway of horizontally extending tubes "49; which lead int-othe'tank"38,arranged above the egg-*heating elements'35; Y l les shownin Fig. 6 the tank 38 is divided longitudinally'by'plates 50 andl,forming water channels :52, 53""andw54. Thus 'the waterpassing froml thecasing 41 t the tu'bcs 49 will enterfthe channelseilandr 53, asindicated -byf thearrows inI Fig; G `fand after trav-ers-ingathechannels the same willenter the large* channely 54,J and 'will low`toward the casing 41. The-water circulates out of the. chamiel 54 by passingl into. a'short pipe section`55, located between 'the' tubes 49,and entersja j acketi 516 formed within thei'casing 41, said jacket 56being' separated from `the jackets 482 by'l partition or .wal1f57, thelatter being provided with an opening 58 contiguous 'tofl its lowereXtremityMIt will "be noted that by the time the water' reaches thejacket" 5G, the same fwilfl, beifnay somewhat coolrcondition, andthepartition 57 isprovided so as tok direct thisfcool water to the lowerVportions ofthe jackets 48",#wherc it may be reheated by the action ofthelamp 39.A llt, willacfeourse bev understood that deviation may .beAmade from the construetion 0f the tank 38, if necessary the same maybeformed of.` aplurality of connected tubes insteadyof;tlieptankformation as disx closed in the drawing.. il 5 'z .I i Extending@transversely across the lower surface of the tank 38 are ajlpluralityof water conduits 5.9, into which: water isdischarged through openings'6()` formed inthe bottom of. the .tank 38, however, thewaterciifculaltilng .system .of thetank 38 doesrnot aect 1 the.condition.l of the Huid contained within the conduits 59,that is, asianas the circulation yof j water. Q concerned 5 however, the tempeizatureofthe .watcrwithin the con` with respecttosaid channels.""."l3yreference to Fig. 2 itwill benoted that the conduits 59aresubstantially* semi-circular in 'cross section and are so disposed asto directly contact or engagewith the heatii'rgelements 35, which serveto transmit heat to thetray`" carried eggs. Thus it will beobvious thatthe chief function of the heating elements is merely to transmit heat tothe eggs 15,

and to permit newly hatched fowls to have a certain amount of freedombreaking out ol' the shells of the eggs. Otherwise, the conduits 59could be placed indirect contact with the eggs 15.

In conjunction with the lamp39 of the heating system 37, I employ theusual heatcontrolling thermostat 61, whichconsists of the usualexpanding wafers 62 that are located substantially within one of theconduits 59. In the event of the water within the conduits reachingtoohigh a temperature, the wafer` 62 will expand in the usual manner so asto elevate a rod 63, the latter extending upwardly through the tank 38,and out of the frame 11. The upper eX- tremity of the rod 63 is fixed toan oscillating arm 64, which is pivotallysecured to a fixed bracket 65.`By reason ofthe factthat the rod 63 is eccentrically securedto the arm64; with respect to its pivotal point, it will be noted that theelevation of the rod 63 will result in rocking the arm 64C so as to ylift the damper 46, which is connected therewith. Thus the lifting ofthe damper will uncover the opening 43 so that the heat emitted by thelamp 39 will pass `olf into the atmosphere instead of being concentratedupon the water within the jackets 48, and `will thereby lower thetemperature of thel water, until the latter becomes suii-i ciently coolto permit 'the thermostat 61 to return to its normal condition so as toclose the damper 46. A thermometer66 has its 'base or bowl 67 in contactwith the heating elements 35, so that the temperature of the latter maybe readily determined from the exterior of the incubator. Suitable heatiny the tank 38, so` that the heat of 'the latter willbe directedsulating material 68 covers downwardly upon the eggs contained'with-` inthe chamber 13. A removable top 69 is provided upon the frame 11 so"that the mechanism within the chamber 13 may be" readily accessible,and for purpose of repair or alteration. The rows of eggs carried by thetray 14E are bound by feather or fabric curtains 70, which define aisleways 71 between the eggs, the aisle ways being formed in order thatnewly hatched fowls may gain access to the exterior of the charn-` ber13, and to escape from 'therelatively vited totliefact that in p risingthe present invention, the use of hotbeen entirely `ported in saidchamber y 2. In `an incubator,

higher I temperature dflftlie latten 1Wire "guardsorrailingsf72 may be`readily` attached toI thesides of the frame `11ataposition in alinementl with the tray:` la AVwhen the latteijis elevatedfso las to" permit thef* fowls to exercise "outside of the casing 11. `ln conclusion,attention is particularly inan incubator cornair heating chambers hasabolished, and that through the use of the heating elements 35 abovedescribed, a far more satisfactory method of transmitting heat to theeggs has been devised. My imy proved method closely resembles as near aslation of the lever 17. The heating elements 35 are preferably formed ofpure india rubber in order that the fluid contained therein cannotescapeor evaporate.

From the foregoing, when taken in con nection with the accompanyingdrawings, it

is thought that the operation and construc-` tion of the presentinvention will be readily understood, therefore a more extendedexplanation has been accordingly omitted.

I-Iaving described the invention what is claimedas new and patentableis:

1. In an incubator, an egg containing chamber, a tank adapted to containa quantity of Huid `capable of being heated supbottom thereof withwithin `the incubator, `and curtains secured `within the incubator at apoint below the y tank and at opposite sides of the conduits forproviding between the conduits, aisleways.

fluid capable of being heated, conduits belowthetank and having openingscommunicating'therewith, brackets on the tank one brackets providing eggchambers, y heat transmitting elements i supported onmthe brackets andcontacting with the outer sur- `faces of the conduits, and a removableegg and provided onthe p spaced conduits to act `upon the eggs, a tray`.movably supported a tankcontaininga `surrounding `each of theconduits,dependi ing curtains on the sides and `ends of the ioonduits,substantially rectangular brackets tive egg chambers, a traybelow the egg seoilred to the bottom face of the tank and chambers,arelnovable egg supporting plate surrounding the respective conduits,dependthereon and a fabric faoin for 'Said plate. ying curtains on thesides and ends of each l In testimony whereof I ax my signature. 10

- 5 of the brackets' providing an egg chamber therebetween and aislesbetween therespecv i FRANCIS BALL.

kCopies o1 1:11111` patent may be ebtainedifor ve cents each, byaddressing the "Commissioner of Patenti. v Washington, D. C.

